State workers’ union contract stalls in Assembly

A bill that would ratify a new contract for California’s largest state workers’ union got hung up in the state Assembly today.

The final tally for AB964 was 51-16 (three votes shy of the two-thirds majority requirement) in a party-line vote of Democrats voting “yes” and Republicans either voting “no” or abstaining. The bill was set aside for “reconsideration,” which means it could be brought back to the Assembly floor for another vote later.

But Republican lawmakers refused to support the contract for the Service Employees International Union Local 1000, arguing it would be prudent to wait and see which way voters go in the May 19 special election.

In other words, if voters turn down the six measures, which would create a nearly $6 billion hole in the state budget, the state could try renegotiating the contract brokered by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Lynelle Jolley, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger’s Department of Personnel Administration, said waiting until the election shouldn’t be a problem even as she added that the administration stands by the negotiated contract.

According to the agreement, nearly 90,000 state workers represented by SEIU 1000 have, among other things, agreed to take one furlough day each month through June 2010, and eliminate two paid holidays (Columbus Day and President Lincoln’s birthday).

Yvonne Walker, president of SEIU Local 1000, criticized Republican lawmakers, arguing that the new contract would save the state money.

“We negotiated this contract with the governor in good faith to help close the budget shortfall,” Walker said in a written statement.”More than 90 percent of our members voted to ratify this agreement. Once again, Republicans failed to do their jobs.”